Coaches Corner

Tips and hints on coaching techniques

Total enjoyment from football

When players are motivated practicing their sport, they'll learn more from it, and therefore, become a better football player. So our aim is to get as much pleasure from football as possible. From football training the most enjoyment can be gained in situations where players can score as much as possible and also have to defend. On a full size pitch children don't have enough touches on the ball and therefore don't learn enough.

So we suggest that children up to the age of 11 should play games with smaller sides and on smaller fields. This way they become more in contact with the ball and in match-situation this improves their vision.

Many repetitions

Repetition is an important aspect in the process of teaching football. Practice, practice and practice again. Doing the same thing over and over again, which was in the early days the case in the street.

In training this means:

Many repetitions

Not having to wait

Sufficient balls and goals, etc.

Good planning and organisation

Quality coaching

Good coaching

Contrary to former street football training, matches are accompanied by adults. However, this isn't always successful. It is a pity that youth football is often compared with football played by adults. Often there are instructions given by coaches that the children don't understand.

That's why it is important that coaches understand how children experience football and that they know how to make things clear to the children.

Teaching football, coaching football, requires a lot of knowledge and understanding of the game.

One day the gaffer of my young son's soccer team either retired or just gave up (I can't remember which) and the club approached the parents for a volunteer to run the team. For some reason, I put my hand up and - hey presto! - I was a youth soccer coach!